on the plot and characters.
The three witches in question are the Sanderson sisters - Winifred (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy), and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker). They were hanged in 1693 for their witchcraft practices, but Winifred cast a spell before their execution, swearing that they would return one day to continue their search for eternal youth.
Fast forward to present day Salem, where Max (Omri Katz) has just moved with his family from California. He is skeptical of the town's obsession with Halloween, but when he takes his little sister Dani (Thora Birch) out trick-or-treating, they end up at the old Sanderson house. Max lights the black flame candle, unwittingly bringing the witches back to life.
The witches are thrilled to find themselves in modern times, but soon discover that they can't just resume their old ways without consequences. They're pursued by a talking black cat named Binx (voiced by Jason Marsden), who was transformed by the witches hundreds of years ago and is determined to stop them.
Meanwhile, Max, Dani, and their newfound friend Allison (Vinessa Shaw) team up to try and stop the witches from stealing the souls of all the children in Salem. They're aided by a few other supernatural creatures - a zombie named Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones) and a helpful magic book - but ultimately it's up to them to figure out how to defeat the Sanderson sisters.
Throughout the film, there are plenty of comedic hijinks and zany antics from the witches, who are delightfully hammy in their performances. The kids are plucky and resourceful, and there's a sweet romantic subplot between Max and Allison. Ultimately, the good guys prevail and the witches are defeated once and for all...or are they?